Anti-tourism protesters cover hundreds of sunbeds in graffiti as Tenerife backlash grows

Vandals have targeted two popular beaches in Tenerife, defacing more than 230 sunbeds with anti-tourist graffiti in the latest protest against mass tourism on the Spanish island.

The coordinated attack took place in the early hours of Thursday morning, targeting sunbeds at Las Vistas beach and El Camisón in the south of the island.

Local officials have expressed outrage at the incident, which marks an escalation in tensions between residents and tourists.

The protesters scrawled slogans including “Canarias se defiende” (The Canary Islands defend themselves) and “Canarias no se vende” (The Canary Islands are not for sale) across the beach furniture.

The incident represents the latest in a series of anti-tourism protests that have swept across the Canary Islands.

The vandalism was discovered in the early morning hours, targeting two of the island’s most popular tourist beaches in what appears to be a coordinated action.

Fátima Lemes, the mayor of Arona Council where the incidents occurred, condemned the vandalism as “an attack on the heritage of Arona” that harms both residents and visitors.

“The people of Arona are very conscious of protecting our environment, but unfortunately, there are always exceptions that threaten the common good, which is like attacking all of us”, she added.

The mayor’s strong response underscores growing concerns about anti-tourist sentiment in the region.

This latest incident follows a series of confrontational protests in Tenerife, including a notable beach demonstration in October where protesters surrounded sunbathing tourists.

During that protest, locals were heard chanting “No hay camas pa’ tanto guiri” (There’s not enough beds for so many foreigners).

Some protesters carried provocative signs, including one reading “Tourists, go f***ing home” and others warning about water usage and hotel development.

Despite the protests, British holidaymakers remained largely unfazed, with some continuing to relax on the beach.

The wave of anti-tourist sentiment extends beyond Tenerife, with around 1,000 protesters gathering in the Basque city of San Sebastian in October.

Demonstrators marched behind banners calling for a “decrease in tourism now” in both Basque and Spanish.

A spokesperson for organisers BiziLagunEkin defended the protests, stating: “Tourism which is the goose that lays the golden eggs for a few, is for the majority an economic model that suffocates us.”